Friday, August 13, 2010

Sugar and Spice - Vish Dhamija

It's not sugar. And, it's not spice. 
     I call them sugar n' spice because the only flavours my tastebuds can discern remind me of how basic I am. My sense of gustation can, still, only recognise elementary tastes - sweet, bitter, sour, salty and spicy.



     Macallan "Fine Oak" 10 year old (Speyside) is the one I am talking about  here - smooth  and complex. (it matures in Spanish Oak casks seasoned with sherry and American Oak casks seasoned with bourbon, amongst others) The aroma has hints of fruits, honey and vanilla, though my nose finds vanilla overpowering the other two, but that could be a personal thing. In any case, either or all of, these three fragrances conjure up memories of everything sweet. Hence, I call this one sugar.
     Talisker 10 year old (Only single malt from Isle of Skye) is my spice. It tastes of sea-salt and has a peppery finish, which I love. Take a bite of strong blue cheese with a sip of this whisky and let the flavours mix in your mouth. Don't complain if you cannot stop after one.
     Like all single malts, all you need is a good glass to enjoy it. No water. No rocks. No soda. No mixer.
     A word of caution: please enjoy responsibly, :-)

1 comment:

Hugo King said...

I find the Talisker has a little too much spice for my liking so I will definitely make a note to try the Macallan. Going for a tasting in Edinburgh in a couple of weeks so may dig out some other gems too.